1. a person who refuses to comply with official demands or expectations, especially one who refuses to emigrate from their country
Usage: originally referring to Soviet Jews denied permission to emigrate
2. a person who refuses to participate in or accept something
Usage: informal; broader usage

Examples

• Many refuseniks faced persecution for their attempts to leave the Soviet Union.
• The famous refusenik finally received permission to emigrate after years of waiting.
• He became a refusenik when the company demanded overtime without pay.
• The vaccine refuseniks organized protests against the mandate.
• She was labeled a refusenik for declining the promotion that required relocation.
• The government kept detailed files on known refuseniks and dissidents.